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The Leap of Joy

2010 August 3
by Roberta B

I was doing the laundry. As I came into the family room the grandkids were doing the unthinkable. They were jumping on the couch. Not only jumping, they were climbing over the back of the couch, jumping on the seat and turning summersaults onto the floor. Instead of telling them to stop, I was overcome with their joy and just stood and watched for a while. In the Old Testament there are many instances of singing, shouting, and leaping for joy. In Isaiah 35:10, the prophet tells of the redeemed on their return to Jerusalem, “Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” I don’t leap or jump or shout much for joy. Sometimes, my singing is not very joyful. What gets in the way of my joy? Grudges, hatred, oversensitivity, complacency, an unforgiving heart. In choosing joy, I need to purposefully get rid of negative feelings so that I may be overtaken by the joy of the redeemed.
Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him . . . they were filled with wonder and amazement . . . Acts 3:8-10

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